Can I Mix You a Drink?
50 Cocktails from My Life & Career
From T-Pain, the adored Grammy-award winner for whom music and drinking have always gone hand in hand, and mixologist Maxwell Britten come Can I Mix You a Drink?, an instantly nostalgic cocktail guide.
While each of the cocktails in the book draws on T-Pain’s catalog in some way, this is not a strained gathering. Appealing pours and bright libations abound: get Low with vodka, peach liqueur, grenadine, lemon juice, and two dashes of bitters; or Blame It on the dazzling combination of grapefruit with rose vodka. There are classic mixes, too, including hot toddies, French 75s, and sangria, albeit with T-Pain’s signature twists (see the Goat Talk, a gorgeous take on the champagne, gin, and lemon mix, which substitutes cognac and includes a splash of blood orange). Britten’s instructions are concise and clear, putting even the more complicated concoctions in this collection within easy reach.
Some recipes are best suited to those with hyperactive metabolisms: Goldschläger and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream are both present in the bourbon-based 5 O’Clock, a caloric delight that’s garnished with gold flakes. Infused vodkas make frequent appearances, too, with jalapeño and cake flavors playing in early on in the text. Bright garnishes and presentation flourishes, like peach slices, dehydrated pineapple rounds, pineapple leaves, and a brown bag wrap for the I’m So Hood, are present for visual and taste bud pops. Whether you just turned twenty-one, or are prone to replaying memories of your twenties over “Tipsy” and “I’m on a Boat,” there’s something here to whet your tastes.
T-Pain knows that there’s “way too much bullshit going on in the world to not take a few minutes to enjoy ourselves,” and his beautifully photographed, hit-filled cocktail guide is the perfect vehicle for doing just that.
Reviewed by
Michelle Anne Schingler
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
